Label applying machines



Aug. 23, 1955 R. E. DOANE ETAL LABEL. APPLYING MACHINES 9 Sheets-Sheet' l Filed Aug.' 23, 1950 Aug. 23, 1955 R. E. DOANE ET AL 2,715,975

LABEL APPLYING MACHINES Filed Aug. 2s. 195o s sheets-sheet 2 V EN TORJ and alphEIoane tfayfwilidenour Y/-Zmq e.

ArronNEy All@ 23, 1955 R. E. DoANE ETAL 2,715,975

LABEL APPLYING MACHINES Filed Aug. 23, 1950 9 Sheets-Shea?I 3 o o d C) O o oI o 12o ,o 0/

G o I 612;/ 0

Z2 l o o 1/2/ 6.2/ G JZ? 29127 o H6 3 I O I 50 "I l O m; ,lmnp o I j gio I 12;/ l' f /j\ O 5 l :2go

25/ I INVENTORS 114 @d Ralph Doane BY Zlfayneldenour TTnQNEy Aug' 23, 1955 R. E. DOANE ET AL 2,715,975

LABEL. APPLYING MACHINES Filed Aug. 23. 1950 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TORS Arroz/VD Aug. 23, 1955 R. E. DoANE x-:TAL

LABEL APPLYING MACHINES 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 23. 1950 INVENTORS lz E. Doane nefRdanoqr ArzjofeNL-y FUQfGQfO Q6 Q6 a alp Gal/ray [SVK g e NGN Aug. 23, 1955 R. E. DOANE ETAL LABEL APPLYING MACHINES 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. 23. 1950 W. 580 v, n. mam w mod e VD al 0 NEUW T hf, Pe@ uw pm w Aug. 23, 1955 LABEL APPLYING MACHINES Filed Aug. 23. 1950 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 rj-L 259 ,V ../Zgo

229 3723322744 247 7 {jg/. 251 223 226 Z5 /202 MJ MMA- V H U U- 224 227 25 262 Y Z22 Z13 2L 266 263 22.9 264 6;/77 .dz/Z J6? 5] INVENTORS f77/Em M alphE Doane ZlfyneE'Rderwz/r Y 4 e TraQNEy Aug. 23, 1955 R. E. DOANE ET AL 2,715,975

LABEL APPLYING MACHINES Filed Aug. 23, 1950 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 507312 31g 30g 30g 516 30.5 "d

IN V EN TORS 2,01 Halp/LEDoa/ze Way/191W? de/z our wf Arrow/Ey Aug. 23, 1955 R, E. DOANE ET Al.

LABEL APPLYING MACHINES 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 ZZ A Filed Aug. 23. 1950 f T www. m im h RM TTORNEy United States Patent O LABEL APPLYING MACHINES Ralph E. Doane, Chicago, and Wayne F. Ridenour, Oak Park, lll., assignors to Cheshire Mailing Machines, Inc., Chicago, lll., a corporation of Illinois Application August 23, 1950, Serial No. 181,044

Claims. (Cl. 2115-28) This invention relates to improvements in machines for applying a label to a flat article such as a magazine, newspaper, catalogue, flyer or tabloid, and has particular reference to a mailing machine wherein the mailing pieces are fed in partial overlapping relationship to a label applying head.

Heretofore, machines for applying an address label to a magazine or other periodical have been characterized by mechanism for feeding an individual mailing piece on to a chain conveyor having lugs for transporting the mailing piece to a label applying or printed impression head for the application thereto of an address label or printed impression, the mailing piece then being removed from position at the label applying head on to a delivery conveyor. The starting and feeding of each piece was sometimes occasioned by damage to the edges of each mailing piece, and in order to avoid battering of the edges by this method of feeding such machines had to be operated at speeds which were not entirely economical.

The mailing machines of the prior art have sometimes been characterized by a feed hopper for a stack of mailing pieces, a shuttle table having a lug engaging the back edge of the bottom-most mailing piece being employed to feed the bottom-most mailing piece between a pair of feed rollers which moved the mailing piece on to a conveyor bed for transport by lug-bearing chains. The shuttle table and its lug and the feed rollers all had a tendency to mar the exposed surfaces of each magazine or mailing piece. Furthermore, the three and four color work to be found in magazine covers has been accompanied by the use of inks which exhibit a smearing tendency when the magazines have been slipped or fed from a stack at the feeding hopper on to the chain conveyor, and the effort expended in fine color work for the front and back covers of the magazine has sometimes been lost by the smearing arising from the operation of the mailing machines of the prior art.

In lieu of shuttle feeders other arrangements have been employed for feeding the individual mailing pieces to the feed rollers, such as vacuum feeders or needle feeders, all of which had definite limitations as to the weight or thickness of each mailing piece capable of being fed, but irrespective of which kind of feeding arrangement was employed to feed the mailing pieces to the feed rollers, such machines had the additional disadvantage of employing feed rollers with the attendant ditliculties recited above.

The mailing machine according to the present invention is preferably characterized by mechanism for moving the magazines or similar ilat articles while they are stacked one against another in substantially vertical position thereby reducing the weight of the magazines as would be occasioned by vertically stacking the magazines one on top of another, the magazines being removed from the moving stack in partial overlapping relationship by a lapfeed conveyor for the application to each article or magazine of a label of any suitable kind. The machine according to the present invention is preferably characterized by means for accelerating each magazine in the plane of each rice magazine prior to removing each by the lap-feed conveyor, to the end that the lower edge thereof will not be battered by the lap-feed conveyor; and further, to the end that the amount of slipping of one with respect to another will be held to a minimum and thereby avoid the possibility of smearing thereof. The invention may further be characterized by control of the feed mechanism by the removal by the lap-feed conveyor of an individual magazine from the stack, so that at all times the stack is in position for the withdrawal therefrom of individual magazines in partial overlapping relationship.

With the foregoing considerations in mind, it is a principal object of this invention to apply address labels to a magazine or other mailing piece without the necessity of stopping and re-starting each mailing piece for the address label applying operation, to the end that the edges of each mailing piece will not be battered or damaged.

A further object is to afford mechanism for feeding mailing pieces in overlapping relationship with only a small area of each mailing piece exposed suiciently large in size for applying an address label to such exposed area, so that the amount of slippage of one magazine with respect to another will be held to a minimum to avoid smearing of the color work thereon.

Still another object is to feed the magazines in such overlapping relationship that the speed of travel of each magazine is reduced to a minimum, yet providing an hourly or daily production which is as great or greater than possible heretofore.

Yet another object is to provide mechanism for accelerating each mailing piece from rest up to the speed of a lug-bearing conveyor chain to the end that each piece will not be damaged by the conveyor lugs.

Other objects and important features of the invention will be apparent from a study of the following description taken together with the drawings which together illustratepa preferred embodiment of the invention and what is now considered to be the best mode of applying the principles thereof. However, the invention is not intended to be limited by the embodiment herein disclosed, and the scope of the invention is intended to be limited only by the spirit and breadth of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a general front view of a lap-feed label applying machine according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a general plan view thereof, the position of the mailing head for applying the address labels being shown in phantom outline.

Figure 3 is a view taken along the line 3 3 of Figure 2 and along the line 3 3 of Figure 7, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the clutching and driving mechanism for the feed shelf conveyor;

Figure 4 is a substantially back elevation view of the lower portion of the lap-feed conveying mechanism, and

the forward-most portions of the feed shelf and the feed shelf conveyor, looking from the back of the machine to the front as seen in Figure l;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, showing the upper portion of the lap-feed mechanism and details of the rotary label applying head, Figures 4 and 5 being capable of being matched along the line A-A in Figures 4 and 5;

Figure 6 is an enlarged partly elevational and partly sectional View of a portion of the feed shelf and the feed shelf conveyor for delivering mailing pieces to the lapfeed conveying mechanism, and showing details of the adjusting mechanism for the stop fingers of the feed shelf;

Figure 7 is a plan view of a portion of the feed shelf and the feed shelf conveyor, certain parts being broken Vconveyor of Figures 4 and 5;

the adjusting mechanism for Figure 5 showing details of construction ofthe label applying head forapplying a pasted and severed address 'label to a mailing piece-being conveyed Aby the lap-feed Figure 9 isa section taken along'the line 9 9 of Figf ure 5 `showing details of the mechanismior swinging 'the paste roller away from the label applying roller, de-

tails of the paste reservoir also being shown;

Figure l0 is a detailed side elevation view of a portion of the Ylap-feed conveying mechanism looking from the right to the left as seen in Figure l, the lposition of the labelrapplying headrbeing shown in lphantom'outline; and

f Figure l1 is a circuit ldiagram for controlling the magnetic clutches shown in Figure 3.

General description of machine VReferringnow to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings,'the

Y Ymailing machine according to the present inventionris supported on a framework consisting of longitudinally extending base members 20, a pair of horizontal frame members 21 which are spacedV above the basermembers 20, and which are connected together by vertical frame membersV 22. The framework thus far described provides a support for a feed shelf V23, a lap-feed conveyor 24, Vand a delivery conveyor 26.

Thefeed shelf 23 is provided with a conveyor 27 in the fform of a plurality ofV block chains which travel around sprockets indicated generally as a group at 28 and 29, sprockets 29 being driven by a motor 30a through avariable speed drive 31, the speed drive 31 being connected by a'chain 32 to turn a drive sprocket 33, see also Figure 3. f Y

The conveyor chains 27 Vare each designated by the numbers 27a to 27d and are adapted to move a plurality 'of articles 34, such as magazines or other iiat articles on to the lap-feed conveyor 24,.whence they are moved in partial overlapping relationship withV respect to f each other past arlabel applying head indicated generally at 36 which is supported, as will be described in more detail l Y' vas ,this specification proceeds, upon av pair of vertical sup- It will be noted that supported on Van idler shaft 70 journaled at 75 to the.

side frames 30, see Figure l0. The belts 44 are adjusted in tension by idler pulleys 57 mounted at the end of an arm 58 pivoted from Ythe underside of the angles 42, and the tension. of the belts 46 isY likewise adjusted by tension idler pulleys 59 mounted at the end of an arm 61 also pivoted to the underside ofthe angles 43. The articles 34Vwhich are moved by the delivery conveyor 26 may be suitably guidedr by` side guide plates 5t), see Figure 2, which are adjusted according to the 'i width of the articles 34'by spacer bolts 55 which are locked in position by adjusting nuts 55a bearing against the vertical legs of the flanges 42 and 43.

It will be seen from the descriptionV thus far that the articles 34 willbe fed. by the conveyor chains 27 of the feed shelf 23 on to the lap-feed conveyor 24, where they. are labeled individually by the label applying head 36, the Y articles then being fed by the lap-feed conveyor 24 onto the delivery conveyor 26.

Details of feed shelf and feed conveyor* Referring now particularly to Figures 2, 3, 4, 6, andi7Y of the drawings, the feed shelf 23 includes Va VchannelV shaped plate member 62 which overlies the vertical legs of theside frames 21. As shown in Figure 3, the channel Y member 62 is held in place'by cap bolts V63. The plate 62 thus provides a support for the group of` conveyor chains 27 which are of the block type in order Vto present a substantially smooth surface to the underside of the articles 34. v

As shownpalso with respect toFigures 2 and 3, the magazines or hat articles 34 are moved on block chains 27a to 27d inclusive, between sideguides 66 which are thereof and inclined slightlyfrom the vertical so'that the foremost of the articles will tend at all times to bear against the lap-feed conveyor 24. A motor and variable speed drive 37 drives; a chain 38 which is trained'around sprockets 39 and 41 to drive the lap-feed conveyor 24 and the label applying head 36 in perfect synchronism. As'seen'generally in'Figure l, the lapfeed conveyor is inclined from the vertical, and thereby moves the articles Y V34 inrlpartial overlapping relationship in Ya generally up- V ward direction from the feed shelf 23.

spaced angles 42, 43V which are connected by a pair of t web plates 40, see Figure 2, to provide a flat bed and sup-` Vport `for a number of'conveyor belts 44 and`46. As 1 shown in FigureV l, the angles v42 are supported at'each end upon theY vertical standards 22, while the angles 43r are supported atthe leftrjend upon one of theV vertical standards 22 and at the right end upon the side Vframe plates 30. The conveyor belts 44 are trained around drive pulleys Y47 and idler pulleys 48, and'power is supplied'to drive the belts 44 byia motor 49 and a `variable Y. speed drive 51 connected by a drive chain 52 lwhich is trained around sprockets 53 and 54.- The belts 46 are trained. around the idler pulleys 48 and idler pulleys l'56 Vplates 62.

' As shown in Figure Y3, the drive sprocket 33 for the Y feed chains 27a to 27d is fast upon a shaft 64 which turnsY capable of being adjusted according to the width of the magazines 34 in transverse slots 65, any suitable means being provided for holding the side guides to the inra journal 66 held tothe side frames 21'by the cap bolts 63. VSprocket 33' turns with Va magnetic clutchV which has a sliding key tit with a second hollow shaft y 73, the hollow shafts 69 and-73abutting each other as at 74. The moving clutch member 68 is adapted to move into clutching engagement with the magnetic clutch 67 to drive sprockets 29a and 29band their associated block Vchains 27a and'27b. Likewise, the'moving clutch member 72 is adapted to move into clutching engagement with the magnetic clutch 71 to drive the sprockets 29e and 29d together with their associated block chains 27e and 27d.

The articles 34,` whichlare moved 'byv the block chains 27a to 27d inclusive, are adapted to move along adjustable stopLbars 76 having stops 77 Vfastened to the ends thereof,V see also Figures 4, 6 and 7. The adjustableV stop bars 76V together with their( stops 77 are capable of being 'adjusted longitudinally with respect to each other to define a curve in the articles 34 as they move along the feed shelf 23. The stops .77"will thus provide a curved cross-section througheach of the articles when such cross-sections are taken on a horizontal plane. The stop bars 76 and the stops 77 may likewise be moved togetheras a unit to adjust the position of the iirst one of the articles -341with respect to the lap-feed conveyor 24.

e Torthis end each of the adjustable stop bars 76 is held by screws 78 toa stop bar mounting 79.v As shown in Figure 6, the adjustable stop bars 76 may also be supported on a tie bar 7S holding the frames 21Iin spacedapart relationship. The stop bar mounting 79 yin turn Vrestsupon anindividually movable rack bar 81,"l and the stop bar mounting 79 and the rack bar 81 are. held for movement-within a Stop bar guide 82 having vertically S depending limbs 83, 84, see also Figure 7. A ring 86 is lbrazed to the depending limbs 83 and 84, as at 87, and each guide 82 is held in position to a tie bar S8 spacing the said side frames 21, 21` by means of a set screw 89 threaded into each ring 86 and bearing against the tie bar 88.

As seen with particular reference to Figure 6, each stop bar mounting 79 is formed with a downward extending arm 91 which forms a support for an adjusting screw 92 adapted to bear against the right end of the rack bar 81. The other end of the stop bar mounting 79 is likewise formed with a downward extending arm 93 having a spring guide 94 mounted thereon. An abutment 96 is welded to the forward end of the stop bar guide 82 and is provided with -a similar spring guide 97, a spring 98 being held between the abutment 96 and the arm 93. The spring 98 is of the compression type and tends to move the abutment 96 and the arm 93 apart. It will be seen that the position of each stop bar 76 and the stop bar mounting 79 may be suitably adjusted with respect to the rack bar 81 by turning the adjusting thumb screw 92 as desired.

Referring also to Figure 7, a housing 99 is bolted to the outside face of one of the side members 21 and a set screw 101 engages the tie bar 88 which extends through the side frame 21 and into the housing 99. The housing 99 affords a support for a ball crank 102 and a worm 103 turned thereby. A worm wheel 104 is turned by the worm 103 and is fast upon a pinion shaft 106 having a long pinion 107 integral therewith. The pinion 107 meshes with rack teeth 10S formed on the underside of each of the rack bars 81, and it will be seen that by rotating the ball crank 102 the stop bars 76 may be moved to the left or the right, as seen in Figures 6 and 7, as a unit, thereby adjusting the position of the first article 34 with respect to the lap-feed conveyor mechanism 24.

Details of lap feed conveyor mechanism Referring now to Figures 1, 4, and 10, the lap feed conveyor 24 is driven by the endless chain 38 which is trained around sprocket 35 of the adjustable speed driving mechanism 37, the sprocket 39, and the label head sprocket 41. The sprocket 39 is fast upon a shaft 109, see Figure 4, journaled in the side frames 30. A gear 111, also fast upon the shaft 109, meshes with a gear 112 fast upon a shaft 113 journaled in the side frames 30 at the lower end of the lap feed Vconveyor 24. A pair of drive sprockets 114 are fast on the shaft 113, and conveyor chains 116 are trained around the sprockets 114. The sprocket chains 116 are spaced from each other as shown in Figure l0, and -turn upon idler sprockets 117 mounted on the idler 70 which journals in bearings 75 to the side frames adjacent the upper end thereof, see also Figure 5. As shown in Figure 4, the `chains 116 may be suitably adjusted in tension by swinging idler sprockets 120 mounted on an arm 125 which is adjusted with respect to the side frames 30. The conveyor chains 116 are provided with evenly spaced lugs 121, which are of a height suicient to engage each article or magazine 34 as it is fed by the feed shelf conveyor chains 27a to 27d, inclusive, toward the lap-feed conveyor chains 116.

As shown in Figure 10, the articles 34 are supported on flat resilient metal strips 122 which provide a resilient bed for the articles 34 as they move along the lap feed conveyor 24. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the side frames 30 are properly spaced by tie rods 123, and the metal strips 122 are resiliently supported on brackets 124 secured to the tie rods 123. The brackets 124 include a pair of spaced arms 126, 127, and the arm 126 is drilled to receive a pin 128 which is tapped into the spaced strips 122. The pin 128 has a portion of reduced diameter `129 which is fitted into a drilled hole in the arm 127. The reduced end 129 of the pin 128 is provided with a pair of stop nuts 131, and a spring 132 is bottomed at one end on the arm 127 and at other end on the pin 128. It

will be apparent that the strips 122 may be permitted to yield slightly against the force of the spring 132, and according to the pressure applied by the label applying head 36 against the articles as they move in partial overlapping relationship on the lap-feed conveyor 24.

lt will be noted that the strips 122 may be individually adjusted on each of the brackets 124 so lthat a desired amount of curvature may be introduced into each mailing piece 34 while being conveyed, and also so that the amount of projection of the lugs 121 .between the strips 122 may be varied as desired.

Means are provided for accelerating individual articles which have been moved along the feed shelf 23 by the feed shelf conveyor chains 27a to 27d, inclusive, to the speed of the conveyor chains 116, so that the lugs 121 thereof will not batter nor injure the edges of the articles 34. To this end a star Wheel 133 is keyed to a shaft 134 journaled in the side frame plates 30. The star wheel 133 is provided with teeth 136 which engage each individual mailing piece 34 and accelerate each from a position of rest to a speed corresponding to the speed of the lugs 121, so that at the time the lugs 121 will have engaged the lower edge of the individual article 34 its speed will have been brought up to that of the lugs 121. The star wheel 133 is given an intermittent motion by means of a Geneva stop motion which includes a Geneva crank 137 made fast to the shaft 109. The Geneva crank 137 has three evenly spaced crank pins 138 which move in slots 139 of a Geneva wheel 141, also fast to the shaft 134 supporting the star wheel 133. The Geneva wheel 141 is adapted to be intermittently rotated by the engagement of one of the crank pins 138 in one of the slots 139 to provide an intermittent motion of the Geneva wheel 141 which varies from a position of rest to a maximum angular velocity and then back to a position of rest, the action being repeated by the engagement of a succeeding crank pin 138 with a succeeding slot 139 in the Geneva wheel. The teeth 136 of the wheel 133 are so disposed with reference to the slots 139 of the Geneva wheel that when the teeth 136 have achieved their maximum veloci-ty by the action of the Geneva stop mechanism, the lugs 121 will at such time of maximum velocity of the star wheel 133 engage the article or magazine 34.

Feed shelf conveyor control mechanism Referring now to Figures 3, 4, 7 and ll, mechanism is provided for controlling the movement of the articles 34 on the conveyor chains 27a to 27d, and so that the conveyor chains 27a to 27d are controlled by the presence of an article 34 which is in position for removal from the feed shelf 23 by the lugs 121 of the lap-feed conveyor chains 116. That is to say, the feed conveyor chains 27a to 27d are moved by the action of the articles 34 in being removed by the lugs 121 of the lap feed conveyor chains 116. To this end sensing fingers 146, 147 are placed adjacent the extreme side-most stop fingers 77. The sensing lingers 146 and 147, see Figure 1l, cooperate respectively with switches 148, 149, switch 148 only being shown in Figure 4. The sensing linger 146 is so arranged with respect to the switch 148 that the Contact of a mailing piece 34 with the sensing finger 146 causes the switch 148 to open. As seen in Figure l1, the switch 148 is connected in circuit with a selenium rectifier and with a slip ring 151 to supply power to the winding of the magnetic clutch 71. The switch 149, which is actuated by the sensing iinger 147, is likewise connected in circuit with the selenium rectifier to supply power to slip rings 152 to the winding of the magnetic clutch 67. It will be remembered, see Figure 3, that the magnetic clutch 71 controls the movement of the sprockets 29e and 29d to operate the chains 27e and 27d, and it Vlikewise will be remembered that the magnetic clutch 67 controls the rotation of the sprockets 29a and 29b and the operation of the chains 27a and 27b.

The stop lingers 77, which are so disposed with refer- Veach 1 magazine than the other Vpair of chains.

encef't'o the lap feed conveyorV chains 116,' are arranged to give a 'desired amount of curvature to the articles or Y magazines 34, and Ain order to maintainthe curvature of the magazines as they lare moved by the feed shelf conveyor chainsV 27al Vto 27d, the sensingY lingers 146 and 147 are thus adapted to'control the .movement of the conveyorrchains 27a to V27d to maintain such curvature, and to position the magazinesj34 for removal by the lugs 121 of the lap feed conveyor chain 116. Thus,

when the switch'148 is closedrrby the movement of the f firstV of the'magazines 34 by Vthe medium of the star wheel 133 and the lugs 121, the magnetic clutch v71V will 'be energized to move the chains 27C and 27d. Likewise,rwhen the switch 149 isV closed by the'removal of the rst'of the -magazines 34 by the medium ofthe starrwheel 133 and the lugs 121' of the conveyor chainsV 116, the Winding of the clutch 6 7 will likewise be en- 179, a rotating knife support 181, a label applying roller 182, and a paste applying lroller 183, see alsoFigure 9, to feed, sever and apply paste to individual labels 1,57

' which are supplied from a rolled strip 184 thereof mounted ergizedrtov cause the conveyor chains 27a to'27b to be Y moved. Since thermagazines 34 must at all Vtimes be 1 in position against the ilexib1estrips122and 'against .the stops 77 for engagement by the lugs 121, the magneticjclutches 67 and 71 will be energized with pulses f ofV current as may be determined by the closing of the switches 148 and' 149. Thus at all times the desired curvature; of the magazines 34 will be maintained to 'Y insure that the lugs 121' will engage a lower edge of Veach ofthe magazines Vas they are advanced by the chains 27a to 27d along the feed kshelf 23.` Y

In the case where magazines are fed along theyfeed shelf; theY stitched or folded edge is thicker.than the cut or trimmed edges, and in order`to maintain the proper'feed the pair of chains nearest the folded edge Willlbe required to move through a greater distance Vfor Such differential movement of each pair of chains is'v of course irrespective of whether any desired curvature is made in each.

VGeneral description of label applying mechanism-V Y yThe larticles -34 which are Vthus removed from the feed shelf 23 are conveyed in a generally vertical direc- Y tion by the lap feed conveyor 24, see Figure 1, and are adapted to pass under a flexible roller 153 supported on a shaft 154 held in adjustable journals 156 on the `side'frames 30. The resilient roller 153 is thus adapted to'override the articles 34 as they move in partial over- "lapping relationship along the adjustable strips 122 of Vthe lap feed conveyor 24, iny such a fashion as to'place fa'slight'amount of pressure thereon.

Referring now to Figures 5, 8 and 9 of the drawings, the articles which have been moved along the lap-feed conveyor 24 inrpartial overlapping relationship with respect to each other then move past the label applying head 36, see also Figure l, for the application to'each Yindividual article of a severed and pasted label 157, Ysee also Figure 2. As shown in Figures 5, 8, and 9, Vthe label applying head 36 includes a main frame 161 V*havingfa rib 162 formed therewith. The main frame housing 161 andthe rib 162 are provided withvsupports y163 and 164 for bearings 166 and 167.! The bearings "166 and 167 are supported on a sleeve 168 which is Vkeyed Vto a shaft 169'journaled at one end in a bearing 171 in .one of the side frames 30 and journaled at the other end inY abearingV 172Y supported on a bracket 173 Vsupported' by the other side frame 30, see Figure 10.

The bracket 173 is held in proper spaced relationship withxrespect to the otherV side frame 30 by a tie bar 174. As fseen also Vwith respect to FigureV 10, the shaft i Y 1692is adapted to be turned by the sprocket 41 which is driven-by the Ydrive chain '38. Y

AThe frame l161 is 'closed by a cover plate 176 which is held to thefr'ame at a pllrirality.o'f'poin'tsV as` by cap vbolts 177.` The frame V161 and the cover plate'176 thus delinea housing7V 178 for gearing to drive a pin roller on a supply reel 186 supported Von a standard 187 and a spindle 188 secured to the frame V161, in any convenient manner. evenly spacedrperforations V189, which lie on either side of appropriate intelligence 191, as for exampletheV address of a magazine subscriber.r YThe strip 184 is guided' around a pin V192 struck out at an Yangle Yof 45 to the substantial plane 0f the housingvrframe 161, and supported on an abutment. 193 secured in any convenientl manner to the upper side of the frame 161. VThe strip 184 is guided over the pin roller 179, and pins 1,94V

extending from the pin roller V179l are arrangedl to feed the Vstrip 184 -around the pe'ripherylthereof.' The strip i` 184 is Vthen guided over a stationaryy knife 196 supported on a gib 197 which is adjustable Vwith respect to a stationary gibV support 198 by means of an adjusting screw 199. The strip 184 which has thus been fed by the.V

pin roller 179, is moved past the rotatingV knife support 181, which has a pluralityof knives 201 extending ra-` As' seen in FigureV dially from theV peripheryfthereof. 8, the knives 201 may beheld in slots 202 of the knife support 181 in any convenient manner', and Vitis preferable to adjust the knives 201 in position by means of wedges, not shown. The strip 184 which has been advanced by the pin roller` 179 is thus severed by the knives 201 intov theV individual address ylabels 157, as Y seen in Figure 2, and the individual-address labelsV 157 are then held by suction toV a raised pad 203 of the label applying roller 182.V VA's'shown in Figure 8, the

raised pad 203 has a plurality of suction openingsu204 therein and the suction pressure applied thereto mayY be achieved by suitable mechanism as shown in an ap plication of Wayne F. Ridenour, Ser. No. 89517, filed 'April25,` 1949, for Improvements in Mailing Machines,

vnow Patent No. 2,606,681 patented Aug. 12,V 1952. f

applying roller 182 past the paste applying roller 183 which applies a of adhesive to the address label.- The Y label 157A and the label applying roller 182 continue their rotation together whereby the severed and pastedV label 157 is applied to the mailing pieces which have been fed in partial overlapping relationship by the lap Vfeed conveyor k24, see particularlyFigure 5.

The housing 178 which is defined by theV frame-161 and the cover plate 176 is adapted to be rotated as a unit together with the pin roller 179, the knifevsupport 181,

the label'applying roller 182 and the paste applying roller 183 upon the shaft' 169 as a turning center, so that Vthe n position of the label applying roller 182 may be adjustedY to accommodate different thicknesses of the mailing pieces 34. The housing-'178 Whichrs adaptedrto be rotated about the shaft 169 as a turning center is held in posi-Y tion by an arm 206 extending generally upward therefrom fromV thev frame 161, see Figure 5. The arm 206 is bifurcated to receive a pin.207 whichV is: cross drilled for a sleever208 having :a flange 209 extending therefrom. A

' rod 211 having a head 212 is tapped into a ring 210 supported onthe tie bar 174, and is threaded to hold an adjusting nut 213. A spring 214 is-held between the( head 212 and the flange 209 and normally tends to urge the arm206 against the adjusting fnut 213'. It will be As seen in Figure 5, the strip 184 contains The individual address labels 157 Vrotate with the label Y Y Details of construction of pin feed `roller- Referring particularly to Figure 8, the pin roller 179 is adapted to be rotated in timed relationship to the main drive shaft 169, and is driven through the medium of a gear train which includes a gear 216 keyed to the sleeve 168 which turns with the shaft 1.69. r1`he gear 216 meshes with a gear 217 fast to a shaft 218 supported on a bearing 219 held in the rib 162 and a bearing 221 supported in the main frame 161. A pinion 222 is fast to the shaft 218 and meshes with a gear 223 fast on an idler shaft 224 which is journaled in a bearing 226 held in the rib 162 and a bearing 227 supported in the frame 161. A gear 228 is fast on the idler shaft 224 and meshes with a pin wheel drive gear 229 made fast to a strip throwout shaft 231 turning in a bearing 232 supported in the cover plate 176. The strip throw-out shaft 231 is counter-bored as at 233 to receive a pin roller drive shaft 234 which is supported on bearings 236 held in the main frame housing 161, the pin roller drive shaft 234 being additionally supported within the counter-bore 233 of the strip throwi' out shaft 231 upon needle bearings 237.

A driving connection is afforded between the strip throw-out shaft 231 and the pin roller drive shaft 234 and as shown in Figure 8 a anged sliding throw-out clutch sleeve 238 is slidably keyed to the strip throwout shaft 231. A strip throw-out ratchet 239 is fastened by a set screw 241 to the flanged sleeve 238, and a spring 242 is held between a flange 243 formed on the strip throw-out shaft 231 and the sliding throw-out clutch sleeve 238 to urge the flanged sleeve 238 to the right as seen in Figure 8. The throw-out clutch sleeve 238 is milled with a number of radial slots 244 which correspond in number to the number of ratchet teeth on the ratchet 239, and which are adapted to be engaged by pins 246 spaced evenly around a stationary clutch member 247 keyed to the shaft 234. A collar 248 is formed on the shaft 234, and the pin roller 179 is formed with a hub 249 which bears against the collar 248, and is held in place by a knurled nut 251 threaded to the end of the shaft 234 and bearing against a collar 252 having a sliding connection to the shaft 234 at a pin key 253. 1t should be noted that the number of ratchet teeth on the throw-ont ratchet 239 correspond to the number of pins 194 on the pin roller 179, and that the number of pins 246 in the stationary clutch member 247 likewise correspond to the number of pins 194 on the pin roller 179. It will be noted that the bias of the spring 242 is in a direction to urge the radial slots244 into matching engagement with the pins 246 whereby a driving connection will be afforded through the gear train 216, 217, 223, 228 and 229 to drive the pin roller 179 and withdraw the strip 1 84 from the supply reel 186.

Means are provided for disengaging the driving connection to the pin roller 179 whereby the throw-out sliding clutch member 238 is moved to the left as seen in Figure 8, when the articles 34 are being moved at irregularly spaced intervals along the lap feed conveyor 24. Referring now to Figure 5, a switch frame 254 is mounted upon one of the side frames 30, and is provided with a switch actuator 256 having a sensing finger 257 which will remain in the dotted line position shown when the magazines 34 are being fed at regularly spaced intervals. The sensing finger 257 is of a dimension less than the exposed length of two regularly spaced magazines, so that if the lugs 121 of the lap feed conveyor chain 116 fail to move the magamnes at the desired regularly spaced intervals, the sensing finger 257 will rock in a clockwise direction, as seen in Figure 5, to actuate a switch finger 258. A solenoid 259, see Figure' 8, is secured to the top of the frame 161 of the housing 178 and is provided with a moving armature 261 which is biased to a release position by means of a spring 262. Upon rocking of the switch lingers 256 and 258 in a clockwise direction, as seen in Figure 5, the solenoid 259 is energized to cause its armature 261 to contact one ofthe ratchet teeth 239. Since the ratchet teeth 239 `are beveled and rotate with the strip throw-out shaft 231, the sliding clutch throw-out member 238 will be moved to the left, thereby making the clutching connection between the radial slots 244 and the pins 246 inoperative, thereby causing the pin roller 179 to stop the feed movement of the perforated strip 184. lt will be seen that when the magazines 34 are once more fed at regularly spaced intervals, the switch fingers 256 and 258 will resume their dotted line position as seen in Figure 5 to deenergize the solenoid 259 and cause the armature 271 thereof to be moved upward by the bias of the spring 262. The clutching connection is once more provided by the radial slots 244 and the pins 246 to drive the feed roller 179 for feed movement of the perforated strip 184.

Details of construction of rotating knife support The rotating knife support 181 is driven by the coaction of the gears 216 and 217, the gear 217 being fast upon the shaft 218. The rotating knife support 181 is held in position on the shaft 218 as by the retaining nut 263 shown in Figure 8. A driving connection is provided between the rotating knife support 181 and the shaft 218 by means of a hub 264 keyed at 266 to the shaft 218. The hub 264 is provided with a radial extension 267 which extends within a radially extending slot 268 formed in the rotating knife support 181, see also Figure 5, and as shown, the radial extension 267 is spaced from the walls of the slot 268 formed in the rotating knife support 181. The position of the radial extension 267 with respect to the walls of the slot 268 is adjusted by cap screws 269 which thread into the knife support 181, the head of said screws 269 bearing against the radial extension 267. lt will thus be seen that the angular position of the knife support 181 may be adjusted in either direction a slight amount so that the knives 201 will sever the strip 184 which has been fed by the pin roller 179 along the stationary knife 196 at the perforation 189.

Details of label applying roller Referring again to Figure 8, the label applying roller 182 is driven by the main drive pinion 216 which meshes with an idler pinion 271 mounted on a shaft 272 turning in bearings 273 and 274 supported in a ange 275 formed as a part of the rib 162. The idler pinion 271 meshes with a driving gear 276 fast upon a shaft 277 supported upon bearings 278 and 279 located respectively in the rib 162 and the housing frame 161. The label applying roller 182 is in the form of a hollow annulus 281 having a hub 282 keyed to the shaft 277. The annulus 281 is formed with evenly spaced flats 283 to which the raised pads 203 are secured in any convenient manner. The hub 282 of the roller 281 supports a stationary filler block 284, and a closure plate 286 for the open end of the annulus 281 is also supported upon the hub 282 in abutting relationship with the stationary filler block 284. The closure plate 286 and the stationary ller block are held in position by a washer 280 bearing thereagainst and held in position by a nut 285 threaded to the end of the shaft 277. The stationary cylindrical block 284 and the closure plate are held against rotation by means of an arm 287, see Figure 5, supporting cap bolts 288 tapped into closure plate 286 and the stationary cylindrical filler block 284. As seen with respect to Figure 5, the arm 287 is provided with a yoke 289 which partly surrounds a pin 291 extending from the gib support 198.

A pair of arcuate pad segments 292 and 293 partly encircle the stationary filler block and may be adjusted in position angularly with respect to each other by means of adjusting screws 294 tapped therein, and angularly movable in slots 296 in the closure plate 286. The arcuate pad segments 292 and 293 thus define an arcuate shaped recess 297 which is subjected to a source of vacuurn pressure connected to a fitting 298 which is in communication with the recess 297, the source of vacuum pressure thus creating a suction against the openings 204 in the pad 203 ,as it revolves with the cut andV severed label 157.A The arcuate pad segments are so adjusted angularly that the suction pressure against the severed labels is relieved when the pads 203 rotate against the magazine'34 with'the severed and pasted label therebetween.` Y

Details of paste applying mechanism Referring to Figures 8 and 9, the cutvand severed label 157 which revolves withthe raised pad 283 of the label applying roller 182 is moved past the paste applying roller 183 in contact therewith' for the application thereto of aY film of adhesive prior to rolling the label-157 upon each individual article 34. Referring now to Figures 8 and V9, the sleeve 168, which is keyed to the shaft 169, also has fast thereto a gear 301 which is spaced from the gear 216 by a sleeve 302; The gear 301 is held in position by a washert303 and a locking nut 304- threaded to the end of the sleeve 168. The gearV 301 meshes with a gear 306 fasttoa shaft 307 journaled in bushings 305,Y which 'are supported in a hollow stationary axle shaft 308. A housing 309.supports one end of the axle shaft 308 and swivels with the hollow axle shaft 308 about a trunnion 311 formed Yon the kclosure plate 176. The other Vend of Y the hollow axle shaft 308 is supported in a housing meme ber 312 which swivels about atrunnion 313 on the hous- Ving frameY 161 together with the housing 309.' Referring Y now to Figure 9, a glue reservoir 314 is secured to the underside of the housing member 312 by cap bolts 316. Thereservoir 314 thus defines walls 317 'and 318 which enclose the paste roller 183. As shown with particular Yreference to Figure 9, the paste roller 183 is made fast to the shaft'307 by. means of a key 319, the Wall 318 being held in abutting relationship with respect tothe roller 183 by means of countersunk screws 321 to prevent endwise movement of the paste roller 183 on the shaft 307.V The periphery of the paste roller 183 is provided with spacedV Y circumferentially extending slots 322, and a scraper knife 320 is slidably adjustable in a grooveY 323 formed in the Y A wall potrions 317 and 318 of the paste reservoir to meter 12 Y 183 with respect to theraised pad 203 in accordance with the thickness of the paste film carried by the paste roller 183 as it rolls over. the severed label 157 carriedy by the raised pad 203. Y v

lt will be seen that upon movement of the iinger 328 in a clockwise direction, as may-be occasioned by irregular spacing of the magazines 34, the switch 331 will be' closed to 'energize the solenoid 332 and rock the bell crank 334 to move the paste roller 183 out of contact with label 157. Y

It will be noted from the foregoing that when the switch 254 is causing disengagement ofthe pin roller 179 from its driving means, a-severed label` 157 will not be held by one of the raised pads 203 of the label apply- Y ing roller 181, and that by operation of theswitch 331,V

thepaste roller- 183 will be brought out of contact with thepad which is unoccupied by a severed label 157, so

that a film of adhesive will not be applied to the raised pad 203.v It will be Vapparentl that the 'raised Y pads are kept free from adhesiveV which would occur,Y if not for the `presence of the Solenoid operated mechanism for removing the paste roller1183 from proximity Yto the raised pad 203.

- Y Summary v From the foregoing description of the invention, it

will be apparent that there hasV been provided anew and different machine for applying labels to iiat, exible articles such as nationally circulated magazines, newspapers or the like. The machine according to the present invention is vcharacterized, by the feedingl of each kinl dividualarticle with complete freedom` from the operation of any mechanism which would tend to batter, smear or otherwise injure the articles. By the provision of the lap feed'conveyor'mechanism described, it is possible Vto transport or-convey the same number of articles-past a label applying head with a greatly reduced linear speed. Y It will be apparent that by the provision of a label applying head having a plurality of raised pad portions for g applying .the label, the rotational speed ofY the label applying head will be lowered in accordance withV the lowered linear speed of each of thejarticles or magazines.

It will be likewiseV apparent from the foregoingrde- Y i Vscription that the articles may be placed upon a feed shelf in substantially vertical position, transported ,along said feed shelf and be removedtherefrom one by one in'V overlapping relationship at a speed which is greatly less than Ythe speed required of such individually transported magazines or articles in the Vrnachinesof the priorV art.

the paste roller V183 from contact with the raised pad 203 when the pin roller 179 has been disengaged by an irregular spacing of the magazines as they are conveyed along the lap feed conveyor mechanism 24. To this end a 'sensing finger 328 is adapted to Contact the magazines V34 as they movealong the lap feed conveyor 24. The

sensing finger 328 is pivotally mounted on a switch frame assembly'329, and the sensing finger 328 is so arranged that when it rocks in a clockwise direction as seen inV Figure 5, as may be occasioned by irregular feeding ofthe magazines 34, a switchiinger 331 is actuated to close a circuit to a solenoid 332 mounted on the cover plate 17 6, see also Figure 8. The solenoid 332 has an armature 333 which is retracted upon energization of the solenoid .332

Vto rock a bell crank 334 pivoted to support 336 held to the of the spring 342 abutting the boss 339, and the other endV of the spring 342 abutting an adjustable collar 345 ythreaded to push rod 337. A nut 343 is threaded to the Y push rod 337 and adjusts the position of thepaste roller By Ythe use ofran accelerating device, such'as the .star

wheel 133, the mailing'rpieces 34 may be individually ac- Y celerated to the speed of a rapidly moving conveyor mechanism'with a consequent lessening of injury of each magazine at the edges thereof. e

While the unique features and improvements Aof the present invention are shown as incorporated in a preferred embodiment of the invention, and in a form which theV invention may assume-in practice, the .scope of the invention is not intended to be llimited by the precise embodiment shown nor otherwise than by the spirit and breadth of the claims here appended.

l. In a machine for applying a label to an individual iiat article such as a large magazine or the like, a feed shelf having said articles disposed thereon in substantially vertical position While resting on the lower edges thereof, means for moving said articles in a Ysubstantially vertical path inV contiguousrelationship with respect to each other along said feed shelf, means for conveying said articles away from said feed shelf in'partial overlapping relationship with respect to each other, a label applying head for applying'a label to each article whilst being conveyed past said label applying head in such partial overlapping relationship, and means driving `said Yconveying means and label applyingV head in synchronism.

2. In a machine for applying a label to an individual flat article such as a large magazine or the like, a feed shelf having said articles disposed thereon in substantially vertical position While resting on the lower edges thereof, means for moving said articles in contiguous relationship with respect to each other along said feed shelf, means for conveying said articles in a substantially vertical path away from said feed shelf in partial overlapping relationship with respect to each other, means for accelerating an article in a foremost position on said feed shelf to the speed of said conveying means, a label applying head for applying a label to each article whilst being conveyed past said label applying head in such partial overlapping relationship, and means driving said conveying means and label applying head in synchronism.

3. In a machine for applying a label to an individual flat article such as a large magazine or the like, a feed self having said articles disposed thereon in substantially Vertical position while resting on the lower edges thereof, means for moving said articles in contiguous relationship with respect to each other along said feed shelf, means for conveying said articles in a substantially vertical path away from said feed shelf in partial overlapping relationship with respect to each other, a label applying head for applying a label to each article While being conveyed in such partial overlapping relationship comprising a continuouly rotating feed roller having perforation engaging pins extending from the periphery thereof for engaging the perforations of an intervally perforated strip and advancing the same, a continuously rotating label applying roller, a stationary knife interposed between said feed roller and said label applying roller across which said strip is fed, a continuously rotating roller having a knife thereon cooperating with said stationary knife for severing a label from said strip to be carried by said label applying roller, said label applying roller holding a severed label to the periphery thereof for the application of a label to each of said articles while being conveyed in such partial overlapping relationship, and means driving said conveying means and label applying head in synchronism.

4. In a machine for applying a label to an individual at article such as a large magazine or the like, a feed shelf having said articles disposed thereon in substantially vertical position while resting on the lower edges thereof, means for moving said articles in contiguous relationship with respect to each other along said feed shelf, means for conveying said articles in a substantially vertical path away from said feed shelf in partial overlapping relationship with respect to each other, a label applying head for applying a label to each article while being conveyed in such partial overlapping relationship comprising a continuously rotating feed roller having perforation engaging pins extending from the periphery thereof for engaging the perforations of an intervally perforated strip and advancing the same, a continuously rotating label applying roller, a stationary knife interposed between said feed roller and said label applying roller across which said strip is fed, and a continuously rotating roller having a knife thereon cooperating with said stationary knife for severing a label from said stn'p to be carried by said label applying roller, said label applying roller having a plurality of raised portions thereon of length substantially equal to the distance between said perforations, said raised portions being spaced about the periphery of said label applying roller a distance equal to the exposed length of the articles being conveyed in such overlapping relationship, means for holding each severed label to said raised portion, means for applying adhesive to each severed label prior to applying the severed labels to said articles, and means driving said conveying means and label applying head in synchronism.

5. In a machine for applying a label to an individual flat article such as a large magazine or the like, a feed shelf having said articles disposed thereon in substantially Vertical position while resting on the lower edges thereof, means for moving said articles in contiguous relationship with respect to each other along said feed shelf, means for conveying said articles in a substantially vertical path away from said feed shelf in partial overlapping relationship with respect to each other, a label applying head for applying a label to each article while being conveyed in such partial overlapping relationship comprising a continuously rotating feed roller having perforation engaging pins extending from the periphery thereof for engaging the perforations of an intervally perforated strip and advancing the same, a continuously rotating label applying roller, a stationary knife interposed between said feed roller and said label applying roller across which said strip is fed, and a continuously rotating roller having a knife thereon cooperating with said stationary knife for severing a label from said strip to be carried by said label applying roller, said label applying roller having a plurality of raised portions thereon of length substantially equal to the distance between said perforations, said raised portions being spaced along the periphery of said label applying roller a distance equal to the exposed length of the articles being conveyed in such overlapping relationship, said raised portions having suction openings in the face thereof for holding a severed label thereto, a paste roller for applying adhesive to each severed label while bing held in position on said raised portion, prior to applying the severed labels to said articles, and means driving said conveying means and label applying head in synchronism.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,263,515 Biehler Apr. 23, 1918 1,273,796 Bleile July 23, 1918 1,515,265 Miles Nov. 11, 1924 1,949,158 Gay Feb. 27, 1934 2,163,732 Kleineberg June 27, 1939 2,195,111 Kagley Mar. 26, 1940 2,262,798 Elliot Nov. 18, 1941 2,274,075 La Bombard Feb. 24, 1942 2,331,230 Rippl et al. Oct. 5, 1943 2,345,310 Willoughby Mar. 28, 1944 2,483,458 Fischer et al. Oct. 4, 1949 2,518,011 Hoppe Aug. 8, 1950 2,543,220 Ardell Feb. 27, 1951 2,606,681 Ridenour Aug. 12, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 198,857 Great Britain June 14, 1923 442,115 Great Britain Feb. S, 1936 

